Water Quality Legend

Current Status

Grey means water quality information for the beach is too old (more than 7 days old) to be considered current, or that info is unavailable, or unreliable.

Historical Status

When swimming season is over or when a beach's water quality data has not been updated frequently enough (weekly) it goes into historical status. This means that rather than displaying current data it displays the beach's average water quality for that year.

Green means the beach passed water quality tests 95% of the time or more.

Yellow means the beach passed water quality tests 60-95% of the time.

Red means the beach failed water quality tests 40% of the time or more.

Special Status

We may manually set the status for a specific beach if we have concerns about the sampling protocol, if there is an emergency, if monitoring practices don't exist or have recently changed, or other reasons that render this site "special."

Green means the beach has historically excellent or pristine water quality, but there is no current data.

Red means the water at the site has water quality issues or there is an emergency.

Grey means there is no current water quality information, the beach is under construction, there has been an event that has rendered water quality information unreliable or unavailable.

See the beach description for more information regarding their special status.

One of the most exciting trends happening in our cities’ waterways is the increasing number of people participating in recreational activities. More and more recreational water users are reclaiming “working waters,” urban and commercial zones, as their playgrounds. Kayakers, stand up paddle boarders, canoeists, dragon boaters, surfers, wind and kite surfers, and anglers are out ...

You don’t have to be swimming to be vulnerable to water pollution. Participating in recreational water activities other than swimming does not exempt you from the health risks associated with poor water quality. Recreational water activities with limited water contact can also put you at risk of contracting an illness or infection. Secondary contact recreational ...

Swim Guide was created to help answer questions about the quality of the water in order to help prevent people from getting sick. Our priority is to help people avoid waterborne illnesses by making it easy to see whether or not water has met or failed to meet recreational water quality criteria. Is the water ...

There are three types of sewer systems: wastewater, stormwater and combined. Combined sewer systems collect domestic and industrial wastewater, as well as stormwater together in one pipe. The purpose of combined sewer systems is to transport this combination of sewage and rainwater to a wastewater treatment plant for processing. Combined sewers are less of a ...

It’s no secret that people love dogs.There is no better way to bond with your furry friend than taking your dog for a walk. Dogs are members of approximately 35% of households in Canada (About 7.8 million dogs). Similarly, 37-47% of households in the US also count a dog, numbering between 70 – 80million dogs. ...

The quality of recreational water in Rio de Janeiro, including in the venues hosting Olympic and Paralympic Games events, has been suboptimal because of sewage contamination. – WHO health advice for tourists to the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic games With the 2016 Rio Olympics in full swing, the indisputably poopy water in which the world’s ...

People can get sick from swimming in pools as well as from swimming in natural water bodies, like lakes, rivers, swim holes, and coastal beaches. The majority of reported recreational water illnesses are in fact contracted from pools and other treated water. The main cause of illness from a dip in a pool are the ...

It’s summer time. School’s finished. Everyone is eager to kick off their shoes and plunge into the water at their favourite beach. For many families, the July long weekend is the first chance they’ve had this summer for a day together at the water’s edge. But with any activity involving kids, safety is a high ...

When I look ahead to the upcoming summer Olympic Games in Rio, the first thing that comes to mind is the abysmal water quality, and how athletes are expected to swim, sail, and compete in water that could severely endanger their health. Recent news stories about Rio’s water quality, which shows widespread elevated levels of viruses ...

Sewage bypasses happen when sewage is diverted, purposely or accidentally, around one or more units of treatment in a wastewater treatment facility. The diverted sewage can be taken back to the plant to be treated or it can outflow directly into a body of water such as a lake or river .When do sewage bypasses occur?Bypasses ...

Do certain recreational water activities put you more at risk for illness and infection than others? Yep. Your risk of getting sick increases according to the amount of contact your body has with the water. Risks also increase when your ears, nose, eyes and cuts are exposed to contaminated water, because bacteria easily enters the ...

In most cities, this simple rule could save your life. We call it the 48-hour rule, and it goes like this: In order to protect your health against recreational water illnesses, avoid contact with the water for at least 48-hours after a significant rain event. Think that sounds harsh? Some places suggest waiting up to ...

One of the most exciting trends happening in our cities’ waterways is the increasing number of people participating in recreational activities. More and more recreational water users are reclaiming “working waters,” urban and commercial zones, as their playgrounds. Kayakers, stand up paddle boarders, canoeists, dragon boaters, surfers, wind and kite surfers, and anglers are out ...

You don’t have to be swimming to be vulnerable to water pollution. Participating in recreational water activities other than swimming does not exempt you from the health risks associated with poor water quality. Recreational water activities with limited water contact can also put you at risk of contracting an illness or infection. Secondary contact recreational ...

Swim Guide was created to help answer questions about the quality of the water in order to help prevent people from getting sick. Our priority is to help people avoid waterborne illnesses by making it easy to see whether or not water has met or failed to meet recreational water quality criteria. Is the water ...

There are three types of sewer systems: wastewater, stormwater and combined. Combined sewer systems collect domestic and industrial wastewater, as well as stormwater together in one pipe. The purpose of combined sewer systems is to transport this combination of sewage and rainwater to a wastewater treatment plant for processing. Combined sewers are less of a ...

It’s no secret that people love dogs.There is no better way to bond with your furry friend than taking your dog for a walk. Dogs are members of approximately 35% of households in Canada (About 7.8 million dogs). Similarly, 37-47% of households in the US also count a dog, numbering between 70 – 80million dogs. ...

The quality of recreational water in Rio de Janeiro, including in the venues hosting Olympic and Paralympic Games events, has been suboptimal because of sewage contamination. – WHO health advice for tourists to the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic games With the 2016 Rio Olympics in full swing, the indisputably poopy water in which the world’s ...

People can get sick from swimming in pools as well as from swimming in natural water bodies, like lakes, rivers, swim holes, and coastal beaches. The majority of reported recreational water illnesses are in fact contracted from pools and other treated water. The main cause of illness from a dip in a pool are the ...

It’s summer time. School’s finished. Everyone is eager to kick off their shoes and plunge into the water at their favourite beach. For many families, the July long weekend is the first chance they’ve had this summer for a day together at the water’s edge. But with any activity involving kids, safety is a high ...

When I look ahead to the upcoming summer Olympic Games in Rio, the first thing that comes to mind is the abysmal water quality, and how athletes are expected to swim, sail, and compete in water that could severely endanger their health. Recent news stories about Rio’s water quality, which shows widespread elevated levels of viruses ...

Sewage bypasses happen when sewage is diverted, purposely or accidentally, around one or more units of treatment in a wastewater treatment facility. The diverted sewage can be taken back to the plant to be treated or it can outflow directly into a body of water such as a lake or river .When do sewage bypasses occur?Bypasses ...

Do certain recreational water activities put you more at risk for illness and infection than others? Yep. Your risk of getting sick increases according to the amount of contact your body has with the water. Risks also increase when your ears, nose, eyes and cuts are exposed to contaminated water, because bacteria easily enters the ...

In most cities, this simple rule could save your life. We call it the 48-hour rule, and it goes like this: In order to protect your health against recreational water illnesses, avoid contact with the water for at least 48-hours after a significant rain event. Think that sounds harsh? Some places suggest waiting up to ...

One of the most exciting trends happening in our cities’ waterways is the increasing number of people participating in recreational activities. More and more recreational water users are reclaiming “working waters,” urban and commercial zones, as their playgrounds. Kayakers, stand up paddle boarders, canoeists, dragon boaters, surfers, wind and kite surfers, and anglers are out ...

You don’t have to be swimming to be vulnerable to water pollution. Participating in recreational water activities other than swimming does not exempt you from the health risks associated with poor water quality. Recreational water activities with limited water contact can also put you at risk of contracting an illness or infection. Secondary contact recreational ...

Swim Guide was created to help answer questions about the quality of the water in order to help prevent people from getting sick. Our priority is to help people avoid waterborne illnesses by making it easy to see whether or not water has met or failed to meet recreational water quality criteria. Is the water ...

There are three types of sewer systems: wastewater, stormwater and combined. Combined sewer systems collect domestic and industrial wastewater, as well as stormwater together in one pipe. The purpose of combined sewer systems is to transport this combination of sewage and rainwater to a wastewater treatment plant for processing. Combined sewers are less of a ...

It’s no secret that people love dogs.There is no better way to bond with your furry friend than taking your dog for a walk. Dogs are members of approximately 35% of households in Canada (About 7.8 million dogs). Similarly, 37-47% of households in the US also count a dog, numbering between 70 – 80million dogs. ...

The quality of recreational water in Rio de Janeiro, including in the venues hosting Olympic and Paralympic Games events, has been suboptimal because of sewage contamination. – WHO health advice for tourists to the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic games With the 2016 Rio Olympics in full swing, the indisputably poopy water in which the world’s ...

People can get sick from swimming in pools as well as from swimming in natural water bodies, like lakes, rivers, swim holes, and coastal beaches. The majority of reported recreational water illnesses are in fact contracted from pools and other treated water. The main cause of illness from a dip in a pool are the ...

It’s summer time. School’s finished. Everyone is eager to kick off their shoes and plunge into the water at their favourite beach. For many families, the July long weekend is the first chance they’ve had this summer for a day together at the water’s edge. But with any activity involving kids, safety is a high ...

When I look ahead to the upcoming summer Olympic Games in Rio, the first thing that comes to mind is the abysmal water quality, and how athletes are expected to swim, sail, and compete in water that could severely endanger their health. Recent news stories about Rio’s water quality, which shows widespread elevated levels of viruses ...

Sewage bypasses happen when sewage is diverted, purposely or accidentally, around one or more units of treatment in a wastewater treatment facility. The diverted sewage can be taken back to the plant to be treated or it can outflow directly into a body of water such as a lake or river .When do sewage bypasses occur?Bypasses ...

Do certain recreational water activities put you more at risk for illness and infection than others? Yep. Your risk of getting sick increases according to the amount of contact your body has with the water. Risks also increase when your ears, nose, eyes and cuts are exposed to contaminated water, because bacteria easily enters the ...

In most cities, this simple rule could save your life. We call it the 48-hour rule, and it goes like this: In order to protect your health against recreational water illnesses, avoid contact with the water for at least 48-hours after a significant rain event. Think that sounds harsh? Some places suggest waiting up to ...

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Swim Guide shares the best information we have at the moment you ask for it. Always obey signs at the beach or advisories from official government agencies. Stay alert and check for other swimming hazards such as dangerous currents and tides. Please report your pollution concerns so Affiliates can help keep other beach-goers safe.
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